Improved apparatus for tanning



@uiten rtatrs @anni @fitta `ABRAHAM STEERS, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN TANNING COMPANY, OF THE SAME PLACE.

Letters Patent No. 65,292, dated lifay 28, 1867.

IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR TANNING.

T0 ALL WI-IOM IT MAY OONCERN:

Beit known that I, ABRAHAM SHWRS, of 5,6 West Eleventh street, city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and improved Tanning Apparatus; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,

and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure I represents a vertical longitudinal section of my 'improved apparatus.

Figure 2 represents a vertical cross-section of the same.

Figure 3 is a top View of the same, part being broken away to show the construction.

`Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to an apparatus in which the hides or skins are distended upon a cloth within a wired frame of a suitable metallic substance, whereon they are subjected to the action of reciprocating platens or faces of remmers in such a manner that they are repeatedly compressed, thespent tanning liquor squeezed out, and fresh tanning liquor of the requisite strength admitted to their tissues, the process of tanning being thereby most materially accelerated, with a great saving of time and labor.

A represents a vat, made of wood or any other suitable material, and which may be of any desired shape or capacity. The vat A is provided with two remmers B, at opposite sides of the vat, with their platens Z extendingover the lateral surfaces ofthe suspended pack of hides or skins, and which are held in an inclined position by springs m, as shown in tgs. 1 and 3. A reciprocating motion is imparted to the rammers B by the action of the eccentric disks a', attached to the upright shafts b, and which act on cages c', formed upon the rods d! which extend from the r'amrners'B through the sides of the vat, as shown in iig. 1. The shafts b have their lower bearings in suitable sockets pr steps, and their upper bearings iu the platform or framework G, that supports the operating gearing. The platens or plates Z of the rammers B, by which the hides or skins and their distending cloths are compressed, are so constructed that they begin to take action at their top edges, and the pressure upon the hides or skins continues gradually downward, whereby the effect of the rammers is considerablyvincreased; and they are so adjusted as to be buoyed in their true position 'without any friction beyond what arises from their contact with the surrounding liquor. I

It is obvious that the mechanism for producing the reciprocating motion of the rammers can be changed in many different ways, as, for instance, that more than one remmer may be used at each side of the vat; that the compression can be commenced at the bottom, at the top, at either side, in the centre, or simultaneously over the whole surface; that the press or remmers can be so constructed as to operate only upon one side ofthe pack of hides or skins; or, by having them placed in a horizontal position, it may be made to operate downward or upward; therefore I do not wish to 'confine myself` to the precise mechanism shown in the drawings for the priodnction of any of the operations, but reserve the right to change the same, as may be desirable.

The metallic frames D, 'the thickness of which is less than the combined thickness of the cloths and hides or skins, having the hides or skins to be tanned properly distended upon their cloths, are placed in the vat A between the platens or plates Z of the remmers B. Each of the frames D is suspended by two ropes f', which are provided with springs n at their upper ends, to enable the frames D to preserve their level positions when moved forward by the remmers B, and when moving backward by their own weight, till they bring them into a perpendicular line, and provided at theirlower ends with hooks, so that each frame may be readily detached, raised out of the tanning vat, and replaced therein, without disturbing the remaining frames. The operation of raising and lowering the frames D is facilitated by a rope, t', having a hook, c, attached to its end, which passes over the sheaves in the-pulley-block g, which is secured to the carriage L. The carriage L maybe made to travel back and forth over the vat by operating. the rope j, so that one man is enabled to handle the frames and hides with promptitude and facility. Bythe action of the reciprocating rammers B the exhausted tanning liquoris forcibly expelled or squeezed out of the hides or skins, producing a repeated contact-of tannin and elatinous tissue t0 any desired extent. The distending cloths of the frame D preserve the operation from all the diihcultics caused by the tendency of the limber hides or skins to wrinkle, and, secure to the leather tanned in such distended position a uniform flat surface7 free from wrinkles or folds.. The intervention of the cloths between each hide or skin secures the requisite expression of the exhausted liquor from the thick and thin parts of said hides or skins. i If desired, a hundred hides can be tanned in one suspended pack, or a smaller number, when the pressure is applied only upon one side. Any desired number of vats may be operated by the same eccentrics, or by any other suitable gearing.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Expressing the exhausted tanning liquor from hides or skins, substantially as herein shown and described, without the use effrollers.

2. The metallic frame or frames D, with their Wire and cloth for keeping the hides or skins distended while being tanned, substantially as herein shown and described. i

' 3. Placing the hides or skins between two cloths during the process of tanning, substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose set forth.

4. Having the hi'des or skins attached to the frames D, suspended in the vat bythe ropesf and springs n, substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination of' the remmers B withthe vat A, substantially as herein shown and described, so as to produce a reciprocating ection'npon the skins or hides.

n 6. The use of press platens immersed in duid, buoyantly adjusted, and yoperating without friction, substantially as herein shown and described.

7. The combination of spring platens or plates l, remmers B, vat A, and frames D, or their substantial equivalents, with each other, substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose set forth.

The above specieation of my invention signed by me this 24th day of April, 1867.

ABRAHAM STEERS.

Witnesses:

WM. F. McNAMARA, JAMES T. GRAHAM. 

